If you're from Cornwall, how do you personally feel about tourists and second home owners?

[Beerlovingwalker]

Genuinely curious really, as an outsider that loves Cornwall.

On the one hand, it must be nice to know that so many people love the beauty of your county and I'm sure it's nice to share it. However, it also must be difficult to adjust from living fairly quietly in the Autumn/winter months, to suddenly have to share your space with so many million tourists and second home owners in the summer.

Main takeaways from this thread:

• tourism is ok
• second home ownership is bad, wherever it is (Cornwall, London, Lake District, North Wales, wherever...)
• some people really like to have a dig at Cornwall, just as they like to about London, on MN. I can’t think of any other parts of the U.K. that get such vitriol on this forum.

@Faffandahalf

98.2% of Cornwall is white. They might be a distinct culture/minority that deserves to be protected but when I hear that I’m afraid I do have to scoff while thinking of the British Empire and how it decimated the culture across the occupied commonwealth. In the end millions of those whose cultures and identities were destroyed/exploited were desperately needed in the UK ergo mass immigration of the mid 20th century. That then created new rich cultural heritage across swathes of the UK (not Cornwall obvs ) Culture changes, identities change, people migrate, new communities are forged often from the struggle of huge displacement.

And yet the Cornish think they have the monopoly on trauma from displacement and struggle for identity.

Sorry my experiences of racism in Cornwall are uncomfortable for you @NursePye

Here in Wales there are massive problems with our ancient culture being diluted by those with no respect. You wouldn't go to France and complain about locals speaking French, would you? Yet it is somehow considered acceptable for the English to buy second homes in Wales, rename them to "Dunroamin" or similar, and moan about how "everyone started talking in Welsh" when you walked into a pub.

Cornwall has its own language, closely related to Cymraeg and Breton. All three languages have gone through periods where their future was endangered.

@cooliebrown

Second homes and the air bnb business model has destroyed any chance young people in Cornwall might have of owning a home to live in in the place where they grew up; often local people are priced out of renting too.

A tourist tax of a pound a night per adult would do a lot to address the local housing crisis in Cornwall, if properly raised and spent wisely.

Not unique to Cornwall - try buying in London as a youngster. We have roots here too.

Totally not true. Lots of the very most expensive London homes are in streets which are 90% unoccupied for 90% of the year. There are also tonnes of buy-to-let’s for European workers - often 10 in a 3 bed flat. Most young people simply cannot afford to but in London.
Many rent in London but buy a second home for holidays and investment as they could not afford to buy in London. Not all second home owners are rich. The comments about not wanting Londoners in their coastal resorts are pathetic from communities who rely on tourism, just as we Londoners rely on tourists and workers from all over the world. You live in your region, you don’t have exclusivity to it.

@OrangeSamphire

You could ask a Devonian the same question *@HalcyonSea* and pretty soon into the conversation realise it runs a great deal deeper than whether you put jam or cream on your scone first.

If you’re really interested, have a Google and there’s rich and wonderful things to discover about Cornish culture and it’s differences to our neighbours the other side of the Tamar.

I’ll start with these:

• maritime climate and culture
• recognised identity and status for Cornish people on a par with Scots and Welsh (ie not English)
• Celtic music and traditions are deeply embedded and widely practiced here but not in Devon/elsewhere in England
• own language

Right. But these kinds of differences and traditions exist in all of the parts of the UK, and even within different families living in the same area. It's nothing exceptional or unusual or that makes people from Cornwall unique and somehow unable to ever live anywhere else. 😂

@Thewinterofdiscontent

Surely the point is no one wants Cornwall to feel like Norfolk or London though . Not because it’s racist or xenophobic but because places having their individual character is better. Brixton, Brighton, Bristol shouldn’t all end up with nice areas full of wealthy ex Londoners and a second tier of locals who have “adapt”.

Anyone taking money out of London should only be allowed a second home up North. Bridge the north south divide and get some regeneration going using London house prices to do it ( you have them)

Hahaaa hilarious comment. Ever heard of NIMBYs?

@OrangeSamphire

Now having seen your latest post *@HalcyonSea* I wish I hadn’t bothered answering.

How dull. Yet another poster pulling the ‘well other places are better so be careful what you wish for’ argument.

What are we wishing for, that you have such an issue with, exactly?

I wish you hadn't either, as your reply offered no substantial response to the question I had asked. Just more repetition of the "but we're so special" trope.

What are we wishing for, that you have such an issue with, exactly?

Well, it seems what is wished for all of the money from tourism without the inconvenience of tourists and their horrible cars/ holiday homes/ etc. And all of the redistributed Government funding provided from the money earned in London to improve the standard of living to keep flowing while simultaneously moaning about Londoners constantly. Oh yeah and then there was the whole "we hate the EU" thing and then apparent shock at them no longer propping up Cornwall after Brexit. 🙄😂 So basically "we want a free ride and to moan constantly". If it's sooooo wonderful and special there, why be so miserable?

You wouldn't go to France and complain about locals speaking French, would you?

I believe though, that this does happen in Spain, with enclaves of 'ex-pats', who could otherwise be known as immigrants, who don't bother to learn the language and don't see why they should.

There's certainly alot of hate for the Cornish on this thread. I wonder why so many want a second home down here if we are all so terrible and miserable!!
What makes me personally Cornish is my language and the teaching of it to my children. My heritage, family who were tied to the mines or sea. The food we eat, the love and respect for our landscape, our Cornish festivals, our traditional music. I am proud of being Cornish and welcome tourists to our beautiful county and would like my children to have the choice to stay here if they wish. The resentment comes from seeing 70% of homes in our village locked up from Oct-April and empty when there is homeless and the younger population having to leave County.

Lolling here @HalcyonSea at the idea of all that wealth redistribution from London.

How thoroughly patronising you sound.

May I remind you again that this thread was directed at "Those who live in Cornwall ". The majority of whom are not miserable as you suggest but actually largely friendly and compassionate people who are proud of their county. Unlike some of the idiots on here who are so far up their own arses that they think everyone here should be eternally grateful that they deign to redistribute all their hard earned wealth so the poor peasants of Cornwall can have a decent standard of living .

And yes I think you can gather from reading this thread that second home owners (who install bollards outside their house covering a pull-in on a single track road like the ones near me) are not popular nor are the tourists who are incapable of reversing their precious 4x4s that have never seen a country lane and must of course take priority over locals who should just suck it up because they should be grateful for their presence.

Is that miserable enough for you?

So then, a county full of whining locals speaking "forrin", arrogant Londoners, choked with traffic and tourists thick like flies. Sounds amazing yet still they come

Before the pandemic, Cornwall was the second poorest region in Northern Europe. Poorer than the citizens of Lithuania and Hungary. Young Cornish families are largely stuck on social housing estates in the least pretty areas if they are lucky. The amount of child poverty after housing costs since the pandemic is absolutely tragic.

The lack of respect for Cornish people is because people who own or want a second home in Cornwall don’t like being made to reflect on how their behavior is worsening the lives of others. It is much easier to paint the Cornish as parochial or work shy.

What a bizarre and twisted interpretation of what’s been shared on this thread @HalcyonSea

I see some posters have already corrected it for you. What do I think? Well, in response to your enormous misinterpretations:

• Tourism - most Cornish locals take a balanced view that this brings both opportunity and inconvenience. It props up 20% of the Cornish economy (including supporting industries) so, good

• Generally second home ownership anywhere is seen as unnecessary at best and massively damaging to some communities at worst. Many Cornish communities have experienced the latter.

• Visitors are welcome but we ask visitors to be respectful of the natural environment and the permanent residents. Many are but a surprisingly large minority aren’t and this creates animosity.

• Brexit... as far as I remember, most of England and Wales voted for this and it was less popular in Scotland and London. In Cornwall, 43% of the electorate voted to leave, 33% of the electorate voted remain and 23% didn’t vote at all. Which is similar to many other parts of the U.K. Not sure what your point is here?

You have made an assumption that Cornish residents are miserable. Why?

Anyway, I’ve started my day with a sea swim and am about to visit my clients down at the gin distillery and then taking a long dog walk on the moor, so I’ll get on with that and you do you.

There's certainly alot of hate for the Cornish on this thread

I don't see that. what I do read is some posters have put forward the idea that Cornwall's property market should be afforded a level of protection not available across the country. Others have insinuated that the people who live in Cornwall are different from the rest of England, hence a bit of 'whataboutery' as others have disputed this.

To get back to the common theme about banning the owning of 2nd homes, I note that all 5 of Cornwall's MPs are Tories, and the Tories are the largest group on Cornwall Council. It would seem the democratic majority of Cornwall vote for the party least-likely to pursue such a policy.

I don't think it's that we're saying Cornwall should be treated as a special case, I think most of us would agree the second home thing is problematic in many places/everywhere.

There's a housing crisis across the country and there seems a deepening gap in wealth and home ownership. I think there needs to be more affordable housing and a culture change somehow.

Surely that’s the ones that are kept by second home owners for their own exclusive use. There’s a big difference between the latter and holiday home owners who let them out all year round, often through local letting agents, thus providing more jobs locally.

Nobody on this thread has said that ONLY Cornwall should have special rules about second home ownership. How absurd.

And yes, Cornish is a recognised culture that is distinct and different from English culture. This isn’t an insinuation, it’s a fact.

Definitely think a second home tax/council tax and a plethora of good quality, environmentally friendly council housing (which will never be sold off)n is the way ahead.

@trockodile

Definitely think a second home tax/council tax and a plethora of good quality, environmentally friendly council housing (which will never be sold off)n is the way ahead.

It was selling off council places that has led to a boom in house prices in general and made some people very rich over the years. People wouldn't be as wealthy today if that hadn't happened and council places were left to be for those who couldn't afford to buy a privately owned build or new build as they were first intended. After three years people can buy them with a discount , then move on to another area for a profit. It will never go back to those days as councils prefer not having too many tenants on their books I'm sure and there is too much money involved now as well as the buy to let landlords hoovering up places , plus any council tenants would moan that they can't have the same opportunities that others had to buy their homes. It was a terrible policy back then ( just my opinion ) but one we are stuck with now. I'm sure where were a few advantages to this scheme, but it has also fueled the divide between the haves and the have nots in regards to property ownership and I'm sure it's the same in Cornwall as well.

Cornish is a recognised culture that is distinct and different from English culture. This isn’t an insinuation, it’s a fact

And too many second homes is part of the process of destruction of the very thing that makes Cornwall so attractive to tourists & second home owners.

Killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

The solution where I'm from is to declare a huge national park, and keep traditional lifestyles - just about - surviving that way. But only just. The daytrippers to Bowness are hardly really seeing the Lake District ...

God no, not a national park! Huge amount of added bureaucracy and an obsession of with the retention of "traditional " landscapes ie ones devoid of wildlife, destroyed by farming.

Why not adopt an approach of making the county fit for purpose instead of keeping it as a quaint little jewel for people to holiday in? Investments in infrastructure (esp broadband), clamp down on second homes, careful diversification of the economy. No need to trash it or preserve it in aspic.

Brixton, Brighton, Bristol shouldn’t all end up with nice areas full of wealthy ex Londoners

I don't think there will be too many people clamouring to sell up their smart Chelsea townhouses and move to Brixton - or was that meant to be Brixham?!

Out of interest, and this is a genuine question, is it only second-home-owners that are resented in Cornwall? How would you feel if the properties were all snapped up by people selling up in places with much higher property prices in order for them to move to live there full-time? I can see this really being 'a thing' post-covid, with working from home remaining the new normal for vast numbers of people.

That would also put Cornish people looking for homes at a distinct disadvantage and would force many of them to move out to cheaper areas - as we see in many parts of the UK as a whole - but it would mean that local amenities and facilities were used normally and thus maintained. In fact, it could even lead to the wholesale improvement and investment in broadband infrastructure throughout rural areas.

Would you (albeit not cheerfully) accept that Cornish-born people may end up having to leave their home county to make way for full-time residents wanting to live in a beautiful place and moving in from elsewhere, if they have more means to pay the prices that the market rises to?

Also, this is something of a delayed response, but following the whole 'Cornwallian' taradiddle suggestion, a PP also (apparently jocularly) suggested 'Icelanders' as a 'silly' word. Is this not the standard word (in English, at least) to describe people from Iceland? How else do we describe people from that country??